A Short Biography
Prof. (Dr.) A.A. Mohammad Kunhi has been working as a scientific researcher, teacher, educationist, head of educational and research institutions, food quality control manager etc. since 1973.
Dr. Kunhi has been actively involved in scientific research and teaching in the areas of Food Biotechnology, Environmental Biotechnology, Industrial Microbiology, Recombinant DNA technology, Enzymology, Food Analysis and Quality Control etc. He has worked at Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, India (7 months from Oct. 1973 to April 1974, as a Research Fellow), CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI), Mysore, India (27 years from April 1974 to Dec. 2000, as a Senior Scientist), Institute for Biotechnological Studies, London, U. K. (1 year from Oct 1984 to Sept. 1985), Central Food Laboratory, Doha, Qatar (10 years from Feb. 2001 to March 2011, as Quality Control Manager), Qatar University, Doha, Qatar (7 years Feb 2013 to Feb. 2011, as a Visiting Professor at the Dept. of Health Sciences) and SAFI Institute of Advanced Study, Vazhayoor, Kerala, India (4 years from Jan 2013 to Dec. 2016, as the Principal cum Director, Research) and Peace Public School Kasaragod, Kasaragod, Kerala, India (2 years from Jan 2017 to Jan. 2019. Dr. A. A. M. Kunhi is presently working as the Dean at MP International Academy, Kasaragod, Kerala, India from Feb. 2019.
Prof. Kunhi had his earlier education at Government Higher Secondary School, Kasaragod and Government College, Kasaragod, Kerala, India. He did his B.Sc. degree at Vijaya College, Mulki and JSS College, Mysore, Karnataka, India. He obtained his Master’s degree in Biosciences in 1973 and Ph. D. degree in Biochemistry in 1984 from the University of Mysore, India. In 1984-85 he did an International Postgraduate Diploma in Biotechnology at the then The Institute for Biotechnological Studies at London and Kent (UK) and a short NATO-organised Certificate Course in Biotechnology at Troia (Portugal). In 2004 he secured a Diploma in Arabic Language from the Institute of Languages, Doha (Qatar).
He was a Fellow of the United Nations University (Tokyo, Japan), during 1984-’85.
The major areas of his research have been gainful utilisation of agricultural and agro-industrial wastes for production of value-added food and industrial products, development of processes for treatment of industrial wastes containing toxic and hazardous chemical compounds and bioremediation of pesticides-contaminated soils and water bodies, through exploitation of microbial degradation capabilities. Inhibition of germination of crop seeds by chemicals such as chlorobenzoates, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy acetic acid, phenol, cresols etc. and its elimination through amendment of the contaminated soils through bio-augmentation by inoculation with bacterial strains capable of degrading the chemicals also have been studied by Dr. Kunhi. His work also involved the studies on molecular and genetic basis of bacterial biodegradation processes. He has also worked on the microbial production of various industrial enzymes such as cellulases, amylases, proteases, keratinases, RNases, DNases etc. and also their functional improvement through gene cloning. Another area of his research has been the bioactivities such as ACE-Inhibitory, antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-bacterial activities of peptides derived from food proteins of both plant and animal origin. He has also worked on the antibacterial potentials of various plant extracts individually and in combinations and also their synergy with conventional antibiotics, particularly against multi-drug resistant pathogens. He has also worked on the mosquito larvicidal and insecticidal activities of various plant extracts.
Dr. Kunhi’s work Central Food Laboratory, Doha and Qatar University included various aspects of food quality and safety assurance and certification.
He has developed over 20 processes on food biotechnology and microbial and environmental biotechnologies, nutraceuticals and antibacterial agents, besides developing several analytical protocols through his research.
He has 6 Patents to his credit and has published more than 160 research papers/abstracts, including 11 book chapters. He has presented more than 108 papers at National and International Symposia and Seminars.
He has been a regular post-graduate teacher of M.Sc. (Food Technology) Course at CFTRI (affiliated to Mysore University, India) teaching Microbiology, Enzymology, Biotechnology, Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, and was a Visiting Professor at Qatar University teaching Food Chemistry and Food Quality & Safety. He has also taught and supervised students for their higher degrees in Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biochemistry etc. at SIAS. He also has been delivering guest lectures at various universities and organisations in India and abroad.
Dr. Kunhi has been a recognized guide (supervisor) for Ph.D. degree programmes in Biotechnology, Biochemistry, and Applied Botany of University of Mysore, Mysuru, Karnataka, India, Ph.D. programme in Biosciences, University of Mangalore, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India, and Ph.D. programme in Biochemistry of Karpagam University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
He has supervised 26 students for their Ph.D., M.Tech., M.Phil. and M.Sc. degrees in Biotechnology, Microbiology, Environmental Engineering, Food Technology, Biochemistry and Applied Botany of various universities.
Prof. Kunhi also has served as an examiner for Ph.D. degrees in Microbiology, Biotechnology, Applied Botany, etc. of Delhi University, Kerala University, University of Mysore, Cochin University of Science and Technology and Mangalore University.
He has been a member and office bearer of several professional associations. He has served as a member and panelist of several academic bodies of various universities and advisory boards of scientific funding agencies. He has been the Honorary Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Biological Research (HK) (ISSN 2225-3203) and a reviewer of research papers for several international peer reviewed microbiology and biotechnology journals.
Dr. Kunhi was born on 18th Dec. 1948 (officially 24th Dec.) to Late Abdulla Haji Thuruthi and Ayeshabi at Anebagilu in Kasaragod, Kerala State, India. He is married to Shameem Basheer and has 3 children, Naseema Sulthana, Abdul Basheer, Najma Rehana, and sons in law, Abdul Kareem and Jashmeer Kasargod.
His main hobbies have been photography, videography, religious studies, acting and other theatrical activities.